Spring motor



W. J. DAILY SPRING MOTOR Aug. 24, 1943.

Filed Nov; 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WILLIAM J. DAILY ATTORNEY Aug, 24, 1943 w. J. DAILY 2,327,509

SPRING MOTOR Filed Nov. 25, 1959 2 Sheets$heet 2 e2 e4 64 e2 60 f2 60 g 66 Fi .9 Pi .10 Fi .11

- INVENTOR WILLIAM 'J. DAILY ATTORN EY l a toy locomotive'with a part of Patented Aug. 24, 1943 warren I mm tenses crewsp same lucica V 7 William J. Baily, Gil-am; Fm, assignor to Lduis Marx & Company-Jun, New York, N. 1., a cerporation (if-New York I l v messes November 25, 'it sa sferiai scarier 11 claims. (6.1-. less; This invention relatesfto spring motors, and

more particularly the main gear assembly thereof The primary object of my invention is to gen: erally improve the main gear assembly ofspring motors, such as are commonly used in toys, A .7 7 more particular object ist'o provide a comparatively simple andinexnensive ratchet of increased strength, between the winding shaft and the main gear. 7

Difficulty has heretofore been encountered in the event of a child pushing or pulling a vehicle toy along the floorafter the motor hasalready run down. Such movement of the Vvehicietends to excessively unwind t e, spring, resulting in rea a of the sprin or es ane ei ei nd of the spring froml he winder bush n t r FigIIS is a sideelevation'of the samei is true that the ratchetteeth are so shaped that r it should be possible for the whe ls to turn'without excessively unwinding the spring, but, with spring ratchets, as heretofore 9011S ructed, the-:

ratchet action is comparatively 'stifl' in order .to

provide a ratchet 0i suflioient' strength, and the main spring therefore.tends; to excessively unwind before the desired reverse ratchet action manifests itself. A further objectiof myinve'n-F V tionis to overcome this difliculty and to provide a ratchet which overruns very readily, so that a vehicle top can easily free wheel or be "moved A forward without unwinding the spring beyond its 0 normal amount.. 1 I

Still another object of the invention is to provide a main spring assembly which is' readily and quickly assembled. For this purpose; I provide a two-part bushing, the parts of which may be telescoped together in, a small, press," with" the various parts of the main gear, and ratchet as-, sembled on the two-part bushing as the two parts are forced together.

To the accomplishment oi the-foregeing; and such other objects, as will'hereinafter appearp my" invention consist 'in the springfmotor elements and their 'relationone to the other, as

hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought tobe defined infr the claims.

drawings, in which The specification is accompanied: by

' line 5 5 of Fig.2;

line T"i ofFig. 2; Fig; 8 is a side-elevation of Fig. 5 isa section.taken in the plane of the Fig. 6 is a section talrenin the planejcf the line B6 of Fig. 2;

end elevation of the ratchetltiushig, 12 1s an end elevation of the winder-bush- 1 Fig jl lisian'opposite end elevation ofthe same; and

Fig.1 is a front elevation showing theunannerin which the ratchet bushing and winder bushing are assembled, the main gear and ratch Vet parts being omitted'for the sake of clarity.

Fig, 1 is a side elevation of a spring motorforf one side plate ofthemotor cutaway; Fig. 2 is a sec'tion taken line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the main gear assembly;

Fig.4 is a partially sectioned side elevation of the same;

in the plane ef the Referringto thedrawings, and more'partieularly to Fig. 1, the invention as shown is' applied 'tofa conventional spring motor used for a toy Ioconioti'va'but 'it will be understood that the invention is applicable to spring motors used for other toy purposes. The body of the locomotive 0 is not shown, it being assumed tohave been removed from the motor assembly. The latter comprises side plates lz and H; carrying a pair of" idle wheels 16 and a pair of driven wheels I81 In Fig. 1' the nearer wheel's have been omitted." The axle 26' of the driven wheels is driven bythe springithroughai large main gear 2?, and,

an ensuing train of stjep-up-gearing which may be'ofconventional character, asis schematically indicated in the drawings.

The winder bushing -24 is journalle'd in the j'sideplates'm anct'l t on bearings 26 and'28- formed at each end of the bushing. In the present case 7 the bushing is provided with a square hole 30 extending therethrough and'adapted to receive the square shank 32ers key 34,*said key being illustrated in Fig.8. The/main gear 22 is freely rotatahl'eon-bushing 25. 'I he'inner end of themain spring 38 is connected to the bushing and-its outer end is connectei rat any appropriate point,

totheframe of'the motor. A ratchetdisc 38 is arranged -for cooperation with main gear 22, and is nonezfotatable relative to the bushing;

The spring in unwinding turns-thebushing and .with itthe ratcheti disc 36", an'd'this in turn 'rotatestliemairr gear 22; When". winding the rnotor,

"howeverethe winderbushingzand ratchet disc are I i Fig. 11 is an opposite end elevatioiiof the same;

receivethe main gear. '54 is-intended to non-rotatably receive the turned inopposite direction, and main gear 22 need not rotate.

Ratchet disc 38 is provided with three :br'oad,

inwardly struck ratchet teeth 40, best shown'in Figs. 4 and 5. Main gear 22 is provided with six mating slot 42, best shown in Fig. 6. The ratchet disc need not be made of resilient material. It is simply a rigid disc struck out of cold. rolled material, and it is freely axially slidable relative to the main gear 22. It is normally urged into engagement with the main gear by means of a preferably light and readily deflected spring 44. As here illustrated, the spring is a fourarmed piece of metal so bent as to serve the desired purpose. 1

The complete bushing is made up of twoparts which may conveniently be die cast. The larger part, which I may term the winder'bushing, is

"such that they might be caught upon or inter-T fere with the main spring. This is a'refinement V illustrated in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 of the drawings.

The Smaller part, which I may term the ratchet bushing, is illustrated in Figs...9, 10 and 11.

the inner end of the spring may be passed through theslot and then bent, as is shown-at 58 in -Fig. '7. The outsideof thespring-receivingportion 50 is preferably helical in outline, as shown in Figs.

Hand 14, thus making it possible for thespring to wind up on thebushing in substantially concentric relation thereto. The slot 56is not diametrical, it being displaced" sidewardly in order not to interfere withthe square hole Mextending axially through the bushing.

The circular portion 521 is intended to rotatably The octagonal portion ratchet bushing with a force fit.

. Referring now to Figs. 9 through 11 the ratchet bushing comprises a non-circular or specifically a squareportionfii) followed by a circularfiange 62 and a spacer or thrust collar '64. An octagonal .hole 65- runs axially through the ratchet bushing.

This octagonal hole is dimensioned to mate with the octagonal portion 5 4 of thewindenbushing.

When the parts are assembled'together the ratchet bushing is pressed in a suitable press onto the winder bushing until the'right-hand end of the; ratchet bushing reachesand bears against j the circularportion 52 01-1 the winder'bushing,

The parts arelthen inthe relation shown-in Fig.

However, in, actual practicethe parts of the main gear assembly. are disposed onjthe bushings before the bushings are-forced together; .When the bushings are then forced together the main gear assembly is complete,except for the attachment of the, main springf Referring, to Fig. 4

there is a facing disc 10, which; together with the main gear 22, are placed on thecircularportion- 52 of the bushing before; the 'tWopa-rts of the bushing are assembled;Similarly, the; ratchet disc 38 and the spring 44 are placed onthejratchet Ft will. be understood that the ratchet disc t8v has a square hole slidably receiving the square part of the ratchet bushing. The spring 44 pref-- erably also has a square hole, but this is not essential. The flange E2 limits the outward movement of spring 44.

The facing disc it provides a smooth surface against which the main spring 36 may expand or contract without interference. The disc 10 prevents the ratchet teeth, Gil from moving through the ratchet slots 52 an excessive amount which, however, is not essential.

It is believed that the construction and operation of the invention, as well as the many advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description.

On insertion of the square key in the square hole; the winder bushing may be turned with the key. This turnsthe main spring. The ratchet {teeth 48 are so faced that they slip relative to the main gear.

The key' is' readily removable after the winding operation, When the main spring is released itturns the winder bushing and because'of the octagonal fit the ratchet bushing is compelled'to turn with, the winder bushing. Then because of the square fit the ratchet disc is compelled to turn with the ratchet bushing. The

ratchet teeth turn the main gear, and this in turn drives the wheels N3 of the toy. The ratchet is a fiat rounddiscwith three extruded lugs which are so short and sturdythatlit is practicallyimpossible to buckle orbendthe same.

If the toy is pushed or pulledalong the slip relative to the main gear. This is so because the ratchetdisc, while a 'sturdymember capable oi taking any torqu'eof the main spring, isfneverthele'ssQ readily moved axially 'by'the biased or sloping camr'ning surface of the. ratchet teeth, there bein but little resistance to such movement by the preferably light spring 44. I The force .olf-

the spring is not needed when the ratchet is in driving relation, forthe teeth are selfelockin'g, inv the "drivingdirection.

It win be apparent that while changeseand modifications may belrniade" in the structure disclosed without departing from. the

spirit of the inventionsoughtto be defined in the following claims. T..

"I claimi I llfA main; gear assembly for a spring motor; 7 said assemblycomprisinga bushing with bearings I at its. ends to, be rotatably received in 'a motor.

frame, said bushing further comprising a noncircular. part, a circular part, and a spring receiving part, a hole passing axially through the bushing to internally receive a key, a ribbon "spring coiled about the sprin -receiving f part, f

a slot in the bushing offset from the axis enough to clear the aforesaid hole through the bushing,

. bushing before the parts are assembled together.

the inner end of said spring being received in said 2 slot, a, main gear rotatably'mounted, gn the circular part, a ratchet disc axiallyslidable but nonrotatable on the non-circular part a thin light spring urging theratchet disctowardthemainj gear, said assembly of said ratchet. disc andisaid main'gear having sloping teeth for zth desired ratchet action.

2. A main gear assembly for a ings'at its endto berotatablyreceived in a motor frame, said bushing further comprisinga ground after 'thespring has unwound, the ratchet teeth v I-have showri and described my invention in a preferred form,many e I spring motor. said assembly comprising a bushing with "bear-1;

square part-{a circular part', anda spring-receiving part, a square hole pass'ing"axially-through the bushing to internally} receive a; key having a square shank, a ribbon spring coiled about the springeceivingpart, a slot -passing "entirely throughthebushing andoffset from-the axis enough to clear the aforesaid square" hole through the bushing, the inner end of 'said spring passing entirely through said slot and beingbent to anchor the same in position, a main gear rotatably mounted'on the circulanpart, a ratchet disc axially slidable but non-rotatable 'on the square part, athin light spring urging the ratchet disc towardthe main gear,ratchetv teeth struck inwardly on, the' ratchet discg and slots ,cut through'the main gear for r'eceivingthe teeth o the ratchet disc.

3. A main gear assembly for' a spring motor, said assembly comprising av composite bushing made up of a Winder bushing and a ratchet bushing assembled together with a force fit, the winder bushing comprisinga spring-receivin part and a non-circular part; aslot extendin transversely into the spring-receiving part to receive the inner end of the spring, ajcircular part between said non-circular part and the springreceiving part, a main'gear rbtatablyreceived on said circular part, the ratchet bushing-being noncircular internally to pass with a force fit over the non-circular partof thewinder bushing, the

outside of said ratchet bushing being non-circular, a ratchet disc axiallyslidable but non-rotatable on said ratchet bushing, said assembly of said ratchet disc and main gear havin sloping teeth for the desired ratchet action, and resilient means urging said ratchet disctoward the main gear.

4. A main gear assembly for a spring motor, said assembly comprising a composite bushing made up of a Winderbushing and a ratchet bushing assembled together with a force fit, the winder bushing comprising a spring-receiving part, a

non-circular part, and end bearings to ,be received in the frame plates of a spring motor, a slot extending transversely through the springreceiving part to receive the inner end of they spring, a circular part between said non-circular part and the spring-receiving part, a main gear rotatably received on said circular part, the ratchet bushing beingnon-circular internally to spring-receiving part, a-main gear rotatably received onsaid circular part, theratchet bushing being noncircularinternally to pass with a force-fit over the non-circularslee've ofthe wind-- 'er'" bushing, 'theoutside of saidratc'het bushing being non-circular, a ratchet disc axially slidable but non-rotatable on said ratchet bushing, said assembly of said ratchet disc and main gear havmg sloping teeth for the desired ratchet action, and a light spring urging; said ratchet disc toward said main gear. r

6. A main" gear assembly fora spring motor, said} assembly; comprising a ecmpcsite bushing made up of a winder bushing and a ratchet bushingJassembledtogether with aforce fit, the wider bushing; comprising a; spring receiving-part, an octagonal sleeve, and end bearingsto bereceived in the frame plates of' a spring motor, a square a slot 1 extending transversely the keyhole to receive the inner end of the spring, a circular part; between said octagonal sleeveand the spring-receiving part, a main gear rotatablyreceived on said circular part; the

' ratchet bushingfbeing octagonal internally to pass with a iorce fit over the octagonal sleeve of the winder bushing, the outside ofsaid-ratchet bushing being squarea ratchet disc axially slidable but non-rotatable on said-'ratchetbushing, said ratchet disc and; main gear havingmating teeth and slots for the'desiredratchet action, a

pass with aforce fit over the non-circular part i of the winder bushing, the outside of said ratchet bushing being non-circular, a ratchet disc axial- 2y slidable but non-rotatable on said ratchet bushing, said ratchet disc and main gear having mat teeth and slots for thedesired ratchet action, a light spring on said ratchet bushing urglfght spring on said ratchet bushing urging said ratchetdisc towards. said main gear, the outer end of said ratchet bushing having a collar to hold said spring and ratchet disc on said assembly. V

7. A main driving gear assembly for a springdriven motor, said assembly comprising a bushing having a circular part and a non-circular part, a main gear rotatably mounted on the circular part, a rigid ratchet disc which is bodily axially 'slidable but non-rotatable on th noncircular part, resilient means struck out of thin flat springy sheet metal, and disposed outside of and concentrically with said ratchet disc, said resilient means comprising a central portion received by said bushing, and radially extending spring fingers bent toward'and bearing against said ratchet disc, said combinationof ratchet disc and main gear havin sloping teeth for the desired ratchet action, said resilient means urging said ratchet discaxially toward said main gear, and yielding as said teeth move backward during winding of the spring motor.

ing said ratchet disc towards said maingear,

the outerend of said ratchet bushing having'a collar to hold said spring and ratchet disc on said assembly.

5. A main gear assemblyfor a spring motor,"

said assembly comprising a composite bushing made up of a winder and a ratchet bushing assembled together with a force fit, the winder bushing comprising a spring-receiving part, a non-circular sleeve, and end bearings to,be re-. ceived inthe frame plates of a spring motor, a non-circular hole. passing axially through the winder bushing and adapted to internally receive the shank of awinding key, a slot extending transversely through the spring-receiving part to receive the inner end of the spring, a circular part between said non-circular sleeve and the 8. A main driving gear assembly for a springdriven motor, said assembly comprising a bushing having a non-circular passage extending axially of the bushing to slidably receive a detachable winding key having a matingly non-circular shank, the outside of said bushing having a circular part and'a non-circular part, a main gear rotatably mounted on the, circular part, a rigid ratchet disc whichis bodily axially slidable but non-rotatable on thehon-circular part, resilient means struck out of thin flat springy sheet metal, and disposed outside of and ccncentrically with saidratohe't' disc, said resilient means comprising a central-portion received bysaid bushing, and radially extending spring fingers bent toward and bearing against said ratchet disc, saidrcombinationcf ratchet disc and main gear having sloping teeth for'thedesired ratchet action, said resilient means urging said ratchet disc axially toward said main-gear, and yielding'as said teeth move backward during winding of the spring motor. v;

- 9. A main driving gear assembly for;a springdriven motor, said assembly comprising a bushing having a circular part and a non-circular part, a main gear rotatablymounted on the circular part, a rigid ratchet. disc which is bodily axially slidable but non-rotatable on the noncircular part, resilient means struck out of thin flat springy sheet metal, and disposed outside of and concentrically with said ratchet disc, said resilient means comprising a central portion received by said bushing, and radially extending spring fingers bent toward and bearing against said ratchet disc, said ratchet disc having a 'plurality of equally spaced teeth sloping toward said main gear, said main gear having mating equally spaced slots for the desired ratchet action, there being twice as many slots as there are teeth, said resilient means urging said ratchet disc axially toward said main gear, and yielding as said teeth and slots disengage during winding of the spring motor.

10. Amain driving gear assembly for a springdriven motor, said assembly comprising a bushing having a circular part and a non-circular part, a main gear made of relatively heavy sheet metal rotatably mounted on the circular part, a rigid completely circular ratchet disc also made of relatively heavy sheet metal, said disc being bodily axially slidable but non-rotatable on the non-circular part, a thin light spring urging the,

spring motor. r V V V 7 WILLIAM .J. DAILY.

circular ratchet discaxially toward the main gear, saidassembly of said ratchet disc and'saidv main gear having sloping teeth and mating slots for the desired ratchet action, said teeth andsaid slots'being located at a radius substantially less than that of the continuous peripheries of the ratchet disc and the gear, whereby there .arean-- nular bands of continuous .metal outside saidl teeth and slots. g 7 V 11. A main driving gear assembly for a springdriven motor, said assembly comprising a bush- 7 ing having a circular 'partand a non circular part, a main gear rotatably mounted on the circular part, a rigid completely circular ratchet' disc which is bodily axially slidable but nonerotatable on the non-circular part, .resilientmeans struck out of thin fiat springy sheet metal and disposed outside of and concentrically with said ratchet disc, said resilient means comprising a central portion received by said bushing, and radially extending spring fingers bent toward and bearing against said circular ratchet disc,

said combination of ratchet disc and main gear having sloping teeth' for the desired ratchet ac tion, said teeth being located at aradius sub-' stantially less than that of the continuous vcircular periphery ofthe ratchet disc, whereby there is a band of continuous metal outside said teeth; said resilient means urging said ratchet disc axially toward said main gear, and yielding as said teeth move backward during winding of the 

